Since Jan. 5, 2008 at 2 a.m.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

After last night's 16-0 debacle against the Detroit Tigers last night, the Yankees behind Andy Pettitte (12-7) rebounded quite nicely Tuesday night. Pettitte battled, giving up three runs in seven innings and throwing 120 pitches in the 5-3 victory.

The Yankees grabbed a 2-0 first-inning lead after a Johnny Damon leadoff single, a Bobby Abreu walk, an Alex Rodriguez hit by pitch, a Hideki Matsui RBI groundout and a Jorge Posada RBI double.

The Red Sox tied the game in the next two innings. Manny Ramirez hit a solo home run in the second inning and David Oritz drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the third.

The score remained tied at 2 until the bottom of the fifth when Derek Jeter hit a two-out solo home run.

Boston once against tied the score, this time in the seventh inning, on a Jason Varitek solo home run.

The Yankees took the lead for good in the bottom half of the frame. Andy Phillips singled to start the rally. After Wilson Betemit came in to run for him, Melky Cabrera sacrificed him to second. Damon then hooked a ball around the right field foul pole for a two-run shot.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (13-11) took the loss. He gave up five runs and six hits over 6 1-3 innings of work. He threw 110 pitches. Mariano Rivera closed the game for his 21st save of the season.

Some notes from the game:

Joba Chamberlain came into the game in the eighth inning to a standing ovation. He walked a batter and gave up a hit but also struck out two batters. In 10 innings as a Major League reliever, he has struck out 17, walked three and allowed only four hits.

Jeter's home run was his first since August 1.

Ramirez left the game in the seventh inning with spasms in his lower back.

The Yankees have a record of 73-59 with this victory.

Seattle has an early 5-0 lead against the Los Angeles Angels tonight. The Yankees are trailing by 1.5 games in the Wild Card, but that number would increase to two games with a Seattle victory.